A large number of electrical connectors, particularly plug type connectors, are commonly used throughout electrical engineering and electronics to transmit electric currents, voltages and/or signals with the largest possible range of currents, voltages, frequencies and/or data rates. In particular, in the automotive industry, such known connectors should ensure correct transmission of electrical power, signals and/or data in thermally loaded, dirty, damp and/or chemically aggressive environments for either temporary or permanent periods of time. As a result, known crimp contact devices are commonly used in a large range of applications.
These known crimp contact devices, which may be in the form of a pin, a splice or a socket contact device or apparatus, are configured for use with an electrical cable. For example, the electrical cable may come from a cable harness or on a flexible printed circuit board. In addition to a permanent electrical connection, a permanent mechanical connection may be configured between the cable and a connection region of the crimp contact device. The known crimp contact device may include an insulation crimp region for securing an electrical insulation of the electrical cable, as well as a conductor crimp region for a conductor the electrical cable. In the event where the cable is bent or in the case of high withdrawal force on the cable, the insulation of the cable must not slide out of the closed insulation crimp. Otherwise, impurities and moisture could thereby be introduced into an electrical contact location of the crimp contact device, which may lead to corrosion and/or contact problems.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,233 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,555 disclose known crimp contact devices for an electrical grounding connection or an electrical connection of two flexible printed circuit boards. These known crimp devices include a conductor crimp region for an electrical and mechanical connection of a conductor of an electrical cable, and an insulation crimp region for securing an insulation of the cable. The insulation crimp region includes a single material layer having a crimp base and two crimp sides that are integrally constructed thereon. The material layer of the insulation crimp region has, apart from chamfered free end portions of the crimp sides, an identical material thickness in all the cross-sections thereof. An overall surface for the insulation crimp is comparatively smooth.
Additionally, WO 2011/125626A1 discloses another known contact device that includes a connection region for an electrical connection of a conductor of a cable and an insulation crimp region for mechanically clamping insulation of the electrical cable. The insulation crimp region has a single fixing device for the insulation, which is formed from serrations. However, it has been found during certain testing, such as bending, that these known crimp contact devices allow the insulation of the cable to slide out of the insulation crimp region even when the insulation crimp region is closed, that is to say, crimped, especially in the case of extreme loads.